Sunday 2 October 2022

Pacific Diver (Gavia pacifica)

OTHER NAMES: Pacific Loon
Latin Etymology: Gavia (name in Latin for an unidentified seabird) pacifica ("of the Pacific")

 
Non-breeding Pacific Diver (Gavia pacifica) at Big Sur, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 1-2.5kg  /  Length: 58-74cm  /  Wingspan: 110-128cm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Pacific Diver as it's name suggests is a bird whose range is centred on the North of the Pacific, with its breeding range in Siberia, Alaska and Canada, although it does breed as far East as Hudson Bay and Baffin Island, which would be presumaby the source of the rare vagrancies to Europe. As with most divers, their breeding plumage includes some spectacular pinstripe patterning, but as with other species their High North breeding range makes seeing them in their drab Winter plumage far easier, where they can be distinguished from other species by the presence of a narrow chin strap.

Related Species:
ORDER: Gaviiformes
FAMILY: Gaviidae
GENUS: Gavia
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Alaska, Winters along West Coast
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Big Sur


Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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